A Rurouni Kenshin Story: Forgiven
by DYL0103
Summary: After fighting Makoto Shishio and Enishi Yukishiro, Kenshin has given up his sword, putting aside the legendary swordsman he was to live for the new era of peace. But a demon from his past comes to haunt him. Keshin&Kaoru.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: Before we get started, the double quotes ("…") are speeches and single quotes ('…') are characters' thoughts. With no further ado, here's the first chapter!

Disclaimer: I do not own any parts of _Rurouni Kenshin_. I am just borrowing the characters!

Chapter 1

A man was standing in the shadows on a street in the outskirts of Tokyo. At the first glimpse, you can see that he was just an ordinary man; you might even say that he was good looking. He was tall, broad shouldered, and by the way he held his katana at his waist, you can tell that he was an experienced and skilled swordsman.

But this man was no ordinary man as you will realize once you look into his eyes. His eyes were those of a person who has been to hell and back again. They were the color of deepest ocean blue and like the violent sea, the depth of his eyes swirled with waves and waves of hatred and anger. However, the torment of emotions those eyes also told the story of endless suffering and unfathomable pain.

This man had forsaken everything to be where he is now, and because of this, none knew his name save a few who were either his comrades or enemies.

His name was Hiroshi Yamada.

Hiroshi stepped out of the shadows and the moonlighted illuminated his midnight blue hair, which contrasted starkly against his ghostly pale skin. He looked towards the sleeping city of Tokyo and a bitter smile appeared on his face.

'At last, I can avenge my parents' deaths. I will come for you Kenshin Himura, soon. Very soon.' With that thought in mind, he turned away from the city and walked towards the eerie shadows of the forest, with the same bitter smile gracing his lips.

A few miles away, Kenshin Himura woke up with a start in his room.

Kenshin sat up on his futon, panting heavily. He dreamt of the past again, just like that time before Okubo came to the Kamiya dojo and told him about the impending doom of Japan at the hand of Mokoto Shishio, his successor as the shadow assassin. Just like the time before Saito came and injured Sanosuke. Only this time…this time, it was different.

He knew that he has accepted his past, and now he was beginning to move on with the help of his friends. But, he also knew that there were parts of his past that scarred him too deep, memories that hurt him too much to even reconcile with. Those memories, he pushed them far in the back of his mind, shoved them into a corner and refused to let anyone, especially himself, near it.

This time, he dreamt of those memories, the memories he thought he had forgotten.

The images from his dream assaulted his mind. There was blood everywhere and the scream of a woman still rang in his ears.

'_No! Please, not my child! Spare him. Please!'_

He squeezed his eyes shut, almost as though he was trying to convince himself that if he closed his eyes, he can close his ears to the screams, too. After breathing deeply a few times and gathering his wits about him, he reopened his eyes. It was then he realized that the first of the sunlight was streaming into his room. He got up and opened his shoji doors and looked out towards the horizon where the sun was rising. He smiled in spite of himself.

"It's going to be another beautiful day," he whispered to himself. For some reason, the sunrise always reminded him to Miss Kaoru: Refreshing, bright, and beautiful. Kenshin blushed lightly, and shook his head to rid himself of that particular train of thought. He has been living with Miss Kaoru and Yahiko for almost four years now and as years passed by he came to love them like his own family. After all, they were the people for whom he fought dangerous battles – battles that could have easily killed him. He held on the belief that as long as he wielded the reverse blade sword, he could protect those he loves. However, without him realizing it, his feelings for Kaoru changed from mere fondness to deep and unconditional love. Slowly but surely, with each passing day, Kenshin fell a little more in love.

Shaking his head again he said, "I had better get started on breakfast. Miss Kaoru should be up soon and Yahiko will be starving as usual."

Kenshin entered the kitchen and prepared for the day, his dreams of the past forgotten.

By midmorning, Kaoru wandered into the kitchen to find Kenshin putting final touches to the breakfast he has prepared.

"Morning", said Kaoru with a smile.

"Oh, you are awake. Good morning. The breakfast is almost done. Could you go wake Yahiko please, Miss Kaoru?" replied Kenshin over his shoulder, giving her a brief smile.

"That baka is still asleep? I thought he would have been awake by now. It's midmorning already. Just because he became the assistant master of Kamiya Kasshin Style doesn't mean that he can slack off. I'll have to teach him a lesson" said Kaoru with a scowl.

"Now, now Miss Kaoru. He had a rough night last night. Sanosuke went too hard on him with the sake, that he did" said Kenshin with amused grin on his face.

As the events of previous night floated into her mind, Kaoru replied with a sigh, "Yes, I suppose you are right." A wistful yet content smile lit her face, as she thought about the events of last year leading up to last night. Sanosuke has returned to Japan a few months ago with the full pardon of what happened in Shinsuu, as the government officials heard the circumstances of Sanosuke's actions. It took them awhile to find Sanosuke but they did find him in the end in Manchuria and brought him back to Japan. Misao and Aoshi Shinamori visited a couple times since then, and everyone at the Aoi sent their best wishes. And finally just a couple days ago, Miss Megumi returned from Aizu to open her own clinic in Tokyo close to the Kamiya dojo. So last night, they had a celebration at the Akabeko to celebrate their reunion. Apparently, Sanosuke thought that Yahiko was old enough to handle so much sake and by the end of the night, Kenshin had to literally carry him home.

With another sigh, Kaoru said, "I suppose he can sleep in today."

"Well, if that's the case, breakfast is ready." Just as Kenshin finished uttering those words, Sanosuke called from the yard, "Hey! Is anybody home?"

"We are in the kitchen!" called Kaoru.

"Morning, Jou-chan. Hey Kenshin. What's for breakfast?" said Sanosuke with a smile.

"You! You made Yahiko all drunk last night and now you have the nerve to ask for breakfast? How dare you?" said Kaoru, her temper firing up at once.

"Hey, it's not my fault that he's such a light weight. I thought he could handle it. Honestly, what are you guys doing to him, if he can't even hold that much liquor?"

"He's only fourteen! He shouldn't have to hold any amount of alcohol yet!" yelled Kaoru, frustrated at him.

"You are treating him like a baby. He's going to be of age soon by samurai standards. You should think about that!" fired back Sanosuke at Kaoru.

"Yes, well, that's a year from now and…"

"Now, now. You shouldn't fight even before we start breakfast, that you shouldn't," said Kenshin trying to make peace between Kaoru and Sanosuke.

"Fine" said Kaoru, and resigned herself to shooting death glares in Sanosuke's direction.

"Fine by me. I just want some breakfast. I'm starving," said Sanosuke, ignoring Kaoru's glares.

'I guess some things never change,' thought Kenshin with bemused smile on his face. He cleared his throat and said, "Well, then. Shall we?" said Kenshin, indicating to the breakfast laid out in the dining room.

As they all entered into the dining room, Kenshin thought to himself, 'So the day begins…'

Yahiko thought someone was pounding on his skull from the inside; he thought his head was going to explode. He thought wryly, 'So…This must be what a hangover feels like.' He sat up with a groan and cracked open an eye and found that the sunlight streaming into his room was too bright for his liking. He let out a low moan and found that his throat was parched and his stomach felt queasy.

'That damned Sanosuke. I swear I'm never drinking with him again. I hope I didn't do anything stupid. Oh wait, I was carried home. _That's_ pretty stupid.'

He let out another moan, this time from shame of being carried home. He was almost a man and he couldn't believe that he got too drunk to even walk home.

'What must Tsubame think of me?' He sighed at the thought. 'Ah. Damn it all to hell.'

He got up and wandered into the kitchen, still in his yukata and still trying to blink away the sleep in his eyes. He needed water desperately. He splashed the whole bucket of water on himself and felt himself waking up a little, and it was then that he realized that people were watching him. He turned around and found that Kenshin, Kaoru, and Sanosuke were watching him while trying to contain their laughter. He glared at them half heartedly. He would deal with them later. Right now, the pressing matter was to get rid of this hangover. He wandered back into his room and as he left the kitchen, he could hear the loud laughter resonating from the dining room.

'Those bastards. I can't believe they are laughing at my pain.' He sighed and lied back down on his futon.

Back in the dining room, Kaoru was biting back a giggle and said, "I guess we should try to help him."

"Help who with what?" questioned Megumi as she entered the room. Looking around, she directed a brief smile at the group before her. "Good morning, everyone. Fine morning we are having. But never mind the weather. Is anyone sick? Who needs help?"

"Yahiko has a hangover," said Sanosuke, too nonchalantly for Kaoru's taste.

"Yes, thanks to you," said Kaoru, shooting Sanosuke a glare.

Kenshin sighed and hung his head. 'Here we go again…'

"Well, if that's the case, just take him a lot of water and he'll be fine by the afternoon, although he should probably forego his practice for today," said Megumi, contemplatively.

"Thanks, Miss Megumi. I'll do that," Kaoru replied with a smile. "And you," growled Kaoru in Sanosuke's direction, "You will not make Yahiko like this again. You hear? I don't want him getting sick over something like this and he has students. What kind of model master would he be if he skipped out on practice because he has a hangover? You got that?"

"Alright, alright. I won't do it again," said Sanosuke with a smirk and without remorse. He shot a wink in Kenshin's direction.

Looking at and listening to the scene unfold before him, Kenshin could not help but feel happiness and gratitude. He was happy. He was happy that his problems did not consist of who he was going to kill next, or if he was going to die tomorrow in battle, or if people he loved was going to die because he failed to protect them. He was happy that his demons were not plaguing him anymore. He was grateful for this peaceful morning. (Granted his friends were fighting over how to take care of Yahiko over the breakfast table, this was relatively peaceful) He was happy to be alive, which was a strange feeling for a man like him. Kenshin Himura, the Battousai, who has seen more death than he could ever care to remember; a man who has never truly understood the beauty of life. All thanks to those who are before him now, this man – once broken and dead inside – was truly glad to be alive. He had not had this feeling since Tomoe, his first love.

Speaking of love, his gaze wandered to Miss Kaoru's face. She was a little flushed from her argument with Sanosuke, but the flush brought a lovely rosy hue to her cheeks. Her big blue eyes flashed in anger and she bit her lip to stop hurtful words from lashing out at Sanosuke and her hair was falling out of the usual ponytail from shaking her head viciously at him. It was strangely endearing. It was all Kaoru. The Kaoru that he began to fall in love with long ago.

The love that Kenshin felt for Kaoru was different from the love that he had once felt for Tomoe. It wasn't that he loved one of them more than the other; it was just different. Whoever said that you can only find true love once in your life was wrong. There is more than one love in a lifetime. He found his second one in Kaoru.

He felt a great contentment wash over him as he thought these things in his mind. How he wished that this peace could last and he could go on loving his family. Yes, they were his family: Miss Kaoru, the love that he found when he thought he wasn't capable of loving any other; Yahiko, a boy growing up to be a man that he was so proud of; Sanosuke, a strong warrior and a stronger friendship they share is sacred to him; and Miss Megumi, a wonderful doctor who could save more people than he ever could with his sword. Yes, they were his precious family and he would protect them with his life. And because he loves them and just as he would die for them, he would live for them too. He vowed to himself everyday that he would do so.

Kenshin will soon have to find out the strength of his oath.

AN: Hey, my readers! I hope you liked this chapter. Please review and keep in mind that I am a little sensitive. But I would appreciate honesty but be gentle please. Keep the flames to a spark. wink I will try to update as soon as I can.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Hey my readers! Sorry for the delayed update. You see, when I started writing this story, I just had bunch of scenes and no solid plot. So when I started to write this chapter, I thought "Hmm…where do I want this story to go?" and I came up with "um…..??????" So I had to go back to the outlines and think long and hard. But now that's all sorted out so I promise next chapters will be up quicker (at least one chapter per week hopefully). Now, here's chapter 2 and enjoy

Disclaimer: I do not own any parts of _Rurouni Kenshin_.

Chapter 2

_A dead body lay a few feet away in a pool of dark crimson blood. The woman before him looked at him in defiance but the fear in her eyes betrayed her emotions. She looked at her dead husband and tears began to pool in her eyes but she refused to let them fall. _

"_What are you waiting for? Aren't you going to kill me too?" she asked her voice hard and cold. She did not fear death. Her only regret was that she will have to leave her son, Hiroshi, behind. 'I'm sorry Hiroshi. I love you.' _

_She hardened her heart and asked again, "Well? Aren't you going to kill me?"_

_He did not reply but simply gazed down at her._

_Then suddenly, her eyes widened in horror as she glanced at something behind him. He turned around and his eyes found a ten-year-old boy hiding behind the shoji door of his room. _

_As if the woman read his mind, she screamed, "No! Please spare my child. Please don't kill him. Spare the child!" Her mask of fearlessness crumbled away as she frantically screamed at him to spare her only son. _

'_He has to live! He's only ten years old. I want him to live, even if it means without me or his father. He has to live!'_

_The assassin stared emotionlessly at the figure of the pathetic woman, kneeling before him and screaming at him to spare her child. Without even blinking an eye, he turned towards her and with lightening speed of Hiten Mitsurugi Ryuu, plunged his sword into her heart. She fell forward and like her husband, she lay dead in her own pool of blood._

_The boy looked back and forth between his mother and father. Tears fell silently but he did not even know that he was crying. All he knew was that they were killed in front of him in cold blood and as their son he had to avenge their deaths. Young Hiroshi picked up the blade that was lying beside his father and prepared to fight the killer of his parents even if it meant he had to give his life in the process. If he could have a chance to avenge his parents' deaths, he would gladly give his life and soul to the devil himself._

_The man before him stared down at him and while his face was still devoid of any emotion, the depth of his golden eyes swirled with something incomprehensible. Instead of turning his blade towards the boy, he returned it to its sheath and turned away from him. _

"_I will spare your life, just as your mother wished. Come after my life if you desire, but if you speak of this to anyone, I may not be alive for you to take my life."_

_With that, the shadow assassin walked away, leaving Hiroshi behind with his dead parents whose blood seemed to be flooding the house. _

* * *

Kenshin woke up with a start.

'That dream again.'

He sighed and buried his face in his hands. He could not understand why he was having these dreams now when he thought that all of his demons have been chased away. At times like these, he felt trapped; like he could never escape his tainted past even when he had accepted his sins and lived his life in repentance. His demons never left him alone. Unbidden, the words of Jin-e came back to him.

"Once a manslayer, always a manslayer."

Jin-e had scoffed at the idea that Kenshin Himura, the Battousai, was living in the Meiji Era as a wanderer and a peace-loving man. Jin-e understood that the Battousai could not be tamed to be a mere wanderer and like Jin-e himself, must breathe and live in the heat of battle. "Once a manslayer, always a manslayer." He could never be anything else.

Kenshin sat on his futon contemplatively, and with a frustrated growl, he threw his covers off of him and opened his shoji doors forcefully.

It was a quiet night. The stars littered the sky and the moonlight washed over the yard in ethereal glow. A slight breeze stirred the quietness of the night and Kenshin gazed towards the night sky. He leaned against his door frame as he watched the cherry blossoms drifted towards the ground. He could not get his dream out of his mind. He felt uneasy, like something was waiting for him. Something dangerous, that he was sure of. His whole life was wrought with danger and he could help but despair at the fact that he never seemed to have peace. Just when all that he hoped for was no longer a dream but a reality, the memories of his forgotten past seemed to stretch out its dark clouds despair and rain upon his peaceful days.

'Must I pick up my sword again?' Kenshin thought, silently asking the stars for an answer that he knew he could not hear.

He gave up the ways of the swordsmanship after his battle against Enishi Yukishiro. When he fought Enishi, he vowed that this battle will be the last time he would pick up his sword. Although he had lived the past ten years in repentance for his sins in the memory of Tomoe, he realized that what his love would have really wanted for him is to live in peace and in happiness without his sword. Furthermore, Miss Kaoru would want that too.

'Life in peace and happiness, huh?' thought Kenshin with a wry smile.

During his years as a wanderer, he protected the happiness of others and the new Meiji Era – the era in which everybody can live in peace. But he has never hoped for such a life for himself. But slowly, Miss Kaoru and the others have shown him that his happiness also brought happiness to others. So the doors that have been rusted shut in his heart began to open, slowly but surely, and he began to learn of the true beauty of living, without bloodshed and without his sword.

So as the years passed by, his Hiten Mitsurugi Style has been rendered almost useless, not to mention his body was greatly weakened by the battles that he faced all these years. He knew that if he were to enter another battle, he could potentially lose his life and worse, his loved ones. He clenched his fist unknowingly but was surprised by a warm and gentle hand unclenching it for him.

Looking around, Kenshin saw Kaoru standing beside him. She smiled her sweet smile at him and he could not help but smile back. He noticed that Kaoru had not removed her hand.

"What are you thinking about?" Kaoru asked in a quiet voice to not wake anyone up.

"Hmm…Just some things have been on my mind." Kenshin replied still looking up the sky.

Kaoru looked up at Kenshin. The moonlight was creating shadows on his face so that half of his face was in darkness but his eyes shined like the stars in the night sky. His red hair looked almost black in the darkness of the night and his cross shaped scar was hidden in shadow of his hair. To any other people, Kenshin might have looked normal. But Kaoru knew better. She knew every line of worry that was etched on his face, every battle scar, and even the little wrinkle that is beginning to form around his eyes. She knew something was wrong because she knew Kenshin; because she loved him. She also knew to not press him. He will tell her when he was ready. Instead of saying anything, she just intertwined her fingers with his and gave a small squeeze.

"Go back to your room or you will catch a cold. If you get sick Miss Megumi will scold me, you know," said Kaoru lightly.

"Yes, you should go back inside. The night air is chilly and I don't want you to get sick, that I don't," replied Kenshin.

"Kenshin! I was talking about you!" Kaoru shot at him.

"I know. I will return to my room soon but you should go now, that you should," said Kenshin, finally turning to her and giving her a concerned look and her hand a slight squeeze.

With a sigh, Kaoru turned away and walked away to her room, slipping her hand out of Kenshin's warm grasp and uttering a soft 'good-night'. Times like these broke Kaoru's heart because she could not do anything to ease away the worry lines in his face.

It has been almost four years since Kaoru first met Kenshin and ever since, she has come to care for him like her own family. After all, this was the man who chased away her loneliness and fought away the nightmares of her heart. But somewhere during their four years together, her heart had been stolen away from her by the man she called a friend and her savior. When had she first realized that she had fallen in love with Kenshin? Perhaps it was when he saved her from Jin-e. Or maybe it was when she saw him walk away from her when he left for Kyoto, telling her goodbye; telling her that it was time he became a wanderer again.

It doesn't matter when or how she came to love Kenshin. All she knew now was that she cannot bear to live without him in her life. But she could never tell Kenshin that she loved him with every fiber of her being. Even after Enishi Yukishiro's dreaded Jinchuu, she doubted that Kenshin will ever forget about Tomoe and love her instead. She felt that she had no place in Kenshin's heart and all she could do was watch in the sidelines and care for him as she had always done. That alone was enough, as long as he was here with her…always.

* * *

Kenshin watched out of the corner of his eyes as Kaoru turned the corner and entered her room and as he kept his eyes trained on her long hair trailing down to the small of her back, he felt a surge of need to protect her from all evils of the world. He remembered his words spoken so long ago: "I know I can't change the world. Even if I am just one man, I can still protect those that I meet on the street and especially those that I came to care about. That alone is enough for this one man now."

That had been so long ago when he spoke those words. He clenched his fists and once again vowed that he will protect those he came to care about – no, came to love – with everything he has.

Unbidden, a wry smile graced his lips.

'But then again, I just might be paranoid' thought Kenshin and with a sigh, he turned his back on the night and returned to his room. What he did not realize was that high in a tree right outside the Kamiya residence was a man with dark eyes and hair who was watching the whole scene played out before him.

"Kenshin Himura, you are going to pay for killing my parents. You will taste the utter despair as I have done and you will beg for death before me." With that whisper said to the night, Hiroshi Yamada disappeared into the shadows.

A/N: Well, that's it for Chapter 2. It's pretty short (Gomen!). It didn't go like I wanted it to but I gave it my best! I am finding out slowly that writing fanfiction isn't so easy. Don't forget to review please!

Next chapter: an unexpected visitor comes to Kenshin and Kaoru!!!


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: It's been awhile my readers!! Sorry for the long delay. The last month has been a hell for me with all the exams and stuff. But I'm still writing whenever I can find some time. This section also contains an extensive flashback. Please don't get confused. The flashback is in _italics_!!! Without further ado…here is the third chapter. Enjoy

Disclaimer: I do not own any part of _Rurouni Kenshin._ I wish I did… ;)

**Chapter 3**

A tall man in a police officer uniform stood by the windows looking down upon the streets of Kyoto. The hour was late and it was a moonless night. Not a soul stirred the deep silence of the night and the streets of Kyoto were in peace – unlike those times of the Revolution when every street and alleyway was tainted with blood of samurai and civilian alike.

'The Revolution…' the man thought.

This man standing tall in his dark office with only single candle lighting up the room was the infamous Hajime Saitou, the former captain of the third unit of Shinsengumi.

Saitou has been standing in the exact spot by his office window for more than an hour now as his mind drifted to the memories of his bloody past. The candle light created eerie shadows upon his face making him look older and more world-weary than he seems and yet, the heaviness of his heart and soul were reflected in his eyes.

His dull and weary eyes drifted towards the mahogany desk placed in the center of his office and there, on top of the desk, was a letter written in elegant kanji. His eyes were not focused on the content of the letter but the name signed at the bottom.

'_Your faithful soldier,_

_Hiroshi Yamada'_

'Hiroshi Yamada…' Saitou thought to himself. He leaned against the window and closed his eyes as the memories of the past drifted to the forefront of his mind.

* * *

_Summer of 1865 _

_Saitou was walking down a well worn path towards the outskirts of the city. He had an important business to attend to that day, for the Commander of Shinsengumi Kondo Isami called upon him to ask him for a favor. Saitou went over the conversation that he had with his superior earlier that day in his head as he kept his eyes fixed upon the road in front of him._

_ Earlier that day _

_Saitou had just finished eating breakfast at the Shinsengumi headquarters and was about to head out to do his daily duties. He hated doing them but someone had to do it. With resigned sigh, he grabbed his sword that lay by his side and got ready to stand up from the table. At that moment he felt a hand on his shoulder and glancing around, he saw Kondo Isami, the Commander and the founder of Shisengumi. _

"_Good morning, Saitou" the Commander said with a wide smile._

"_Good morning, Kondo-san" replied Saitou with a respectful bow._

_Saitou had high respect for the Commander, for he was a powerful swordsman as well as a brilliant leader. He commanded the Shinsengumi with authority and passion for his cause and gained trust and respect from all of his subordinates. He was fearless and merciless in battle but compassionate and amicable outside his duties. His friendly disposition made him popular among his comrades and the members of Shinsengumi regarded him as a father figure and treated him with love and respect accordingly. _

_Saitou was no different in this manner. When he was wandering around Japan with no purpose, Kondo took him in and gave him the light in his life – a light to brighten the dark and gloomy life he has led until that point. Saitou pledged his life to serve Kondo and the Shinsengumi and its cause – to protect the Tokugawa Shogunate – and utilized his only useful skill he possessed – swordsmanship – to fulfill that pledge. He practiced day and night, seven days a week, and without rest. His skills were sharp and formidable and they were recognized as such, for Commander Kondo soon named him the Captain of third unit of Shinsengumi. It was the greatest honor Saitou has ever been bestowed._

"_Saitou, I have a favor to ask of you" said Kondo, still smiling in Saitou's direction._

"_Of course, Kondo-san, that is if your favor is within my power. I'll do anything I can" replied Saitou._

"_Good…Well, here is the deal. You do the favor for me and I buy you couple of drinks" said Kondo._

"_Ah, Commander. There is no need. I'd be happy to do a favor for you" said Saitou, a little embarrassed at his attention._

"_Very well then, a drink it is. Anyways, this is what I need to ask of you. I have a friend in the country and he tells me that a young man has come to his town seeking revenge on the Imperialists, especially on the man called the Battousai. He said in his letter that this young man – his name is Yamada by the way – looked as if he was a samurai descendent by the way he carried himself. Apparently, the townspeople are quite afraid of him. They say that his eyes are the eyes that have seen hell and back again. So my friend thought that I might want to recruit this boy into Shinsengumi and he is right. I do want him in Shinsengumi. We always need young and eager soldiers, isn't that right Saitou? But, as you very well know, I am a very busy person. So I am sending you to go get him. Will you do it for me, Saitou?"_

"_Where is this boy?" asked Saitou curiously, for he was also excited to recruit another faithful member to the Shinsengumi._

"_I knew I could count on you, Saitou. Yamada is currently wandering around the outskirts of the city, near the countryside. I'm sure you can find him once you get there" said Kondo with a wide smile._

"_Of course, Kondo-san. I'll go right away" replied Saitou with a respectful bow. "If you will excuse me…" He got up to leave when Kono's hand grasped his across the table, stopping him from getting up. _

"_Ah. Just a moment, Saitou. When you find this boy, I want you to gauge his abilities and treat him with care. Let him learn swordsmanship under you and nurture him to become a great warrior. I ask this of you especially because I am sure you can understand how he feels," said Kondo in an uncharacteristically serious tone and with a knowing glance in his way. _

_Saitou remained silent for awhile, staring at the solemn look on his commander's face, looking deep into his eyes. _

"_Of course, sir" said Saitou with equal graveness._

"_Well then, have a safe trip, Saitou. I'll see you when you get back." _

"_Yes, Kondo-san" and with that last comment, Saitou turned away and headed out the doors of the Shinsengumi headquarters towards his new destination._

_That was early this morning. Now, Saitou was nearing a small town in the outskirts of the city by the countryside. As he walked, he pondered upon the words of his commander. "Let him learn swordsmanship under you and nurture him to become a great warrior." _

'_It is just as Kondo-san treated me when he first took me in. Hiroshi Yamada…I wonder what kind of young man he is.'_

_With this thought, he resolved to do what Kondo asked him to do: to take care of this young man and help him to become a great warrior for the sake of Shinsengumi._

_When he arrived at the quaint little town where he knew Yamada to be staying at, he was first met with the town elders. They greeted him with great kindness and some apprehension. 'Of course they would feel this way' thought Saitou. He was, after all, the Captain of third unit of Shinsengumi. He exuded the air of fearless soldier with his katana hanging about his hip and standing tall in traditional Shinsengumi hakama._

"_Saitou-san?" asked one of the elders._

"_Yes, that's me. I've come on behalf of Kondo Isame-san. I am sure you know the reason why I am here?" _

"_Yes, yes, of course. He is staying at an inn by the river. If you would please follow me, I will take you there."_

"_Thank you," said Saitou and followed the old man down a road towards the river. _

_The sun was beating down upon his brows and the river was shining against the bright rays of the sun like clear crystals, blinding him. He squinted up at the sky and once again thought, 'I wonder what kind of man this Hiroshi Yamada is…'_

_Even he could not explain why he had such an interest in this young man. It is true that they share many similarities, but being such a reticent person, Saitou almost never showed emotions let alone take interest in someone else. However, there was something about this person that nagged him in the back of his mind and he has yet to meet him in person. As Saitou was thinking these thoughts they had, unbeknownst to him, arrived at the inn by the river._

_Saitou looked up the two-story building and turned to the town elder and bowed respectfully, muttering a quite 'Thank you' before entering the building. _

_The interior was modestly furnished, with simple but elegant painting on the wall and clean floors. As his eyes roamed about the room, the landlady entered and bowed, welcoming him. Saitou bowed in return and said, "I am here to see Hiroshi Yamada." His tone was quiet and composed yet exuded authority and the landlady immediately complied, "Of course. We have been expecting you. This way, please."_

_As Saitou followed the landlady up the stairs towards the back tea room – which was only used to hold formal and secret meetings between high-ranking officials – he braced himself mentally for the faithful meeting with Hiroshi Yamada. _

_When he entered the room, Hiroshi Yamada was already inside, waiting for him by the window looking over the river and leaning against the frame. An antique-looking katana hung about his hips in a careless way and his midnight blue hair looked as if it had been washed for a good few weeks. His shoulders were hunched forward as was his back and he had his arms wrapped around himself as if he was protecting himself against something. _

_He looked weak and lost; defeated and hopeless._

_Saitou pitied him. What could have ever happened to him that made him this way? What horrendous event led such a young man – if you can call him a man, for he was only thirteen years old at the time – to become so broken inside? _

_As he was asking himself these things, Yamada turned around to look at him. Then, Saitou looked into his eyes for the first time. It is as the townspeople said; Yamada's eyes looked haunted. His eyes held so much sorrow, anger, and hopelessness that it hurt to just look into them. They had no life in them, almost as if he had died inside and just merely existing instead of actually living in this moment. _

_Saitou took another step forward and slightly bowed his head in Yamada's direction._

"_My name is Saitou Hajime. I've come on behalf of Kondo Isame-san's request to recruit you into Shinsengumi."_

_Yamada stared at his bowed head for a moment and turned away from him. He gazed at the river flowing and remained silent. _

"_Saitou-san, have you ever listened to the river?" he abruptly asked._

_Saitou remained silent. Frankly, he did not know how to respond. What do you say when a thirteen-year-old boy asks you such a philosophical question?_

"_I used to listen during the peaceful times when I still lived with my family. Lately, I have not," responded Saitou, breaking the thick silence that has settled in the room._

"_Since I came here, I listen to it everyday. Do you know what I hear, Saitou-san?" asked Yamada, turning his body so that he was facing Saitou now._

_Saitou looked back at him but remained silent. Where was he going with all these questions?_

"_I hear…" Yamada looked back towards the river and closed his eyes._

"_I hear many voices. Voices of the past, the present, and the future. I hear my parents' voices when they were alive and happy. We were happy back then. I hear myself laughing with them, talking with them, and I even hear their even breaths when they fell asleep on either side of me when I was little. I hear my mother's voice begging that man for my life. I hear my father's voice when he tried to fight him off for our family. I hear their dying breaths. I hear the townspeople voices, whispering behind my back; telling me to leave their village. I can hear their unwelcoming hisses and mutterings. But I also hear your voice, Saitou-san, and the one you called Kondo Isame, telling me that I can become stronger for the sake of the nation as well as for my own. I do not know how I know that these voices are yours, but all that matters is that I do. Did you know, Saitou-san? This ever flowing river is like Time. It will not stop for me, nor will it stop neither for you nor for any of us. Did you know, Saitou-san? Even if I know this, sometimes, I wish it would just stop, even for a moment…" said Yamada in quiet and pained voice. _

_Hearing him talk about these things cut through Saitou's heart, as if a blade has been shoved cruelly into his chest and twisted around, leaving him to bleed. It was no wonder that Yamada seemed so broken with all these pains weighing down on him, chaining him to the depths of despair and unable to break free._

_Saitou took another step towards him but stopped when Yamada turned around and looked up into his eyes. His eyes showed a torment of emotions: anger, sorrow, hatred, hopelessness, and despair. What can Saitou do in this situation? No words would comfort him nor would any actions be sufficient to erase the haunting memories from the depths of his mind. _

_Instead, Saitou stepped towards him and grabbed his precious katana at his side and held it out towards him._

"_This sword was a gift from my mentor and my savior, Kondo-san. When I became the Captain of the third unit of Shinsengumi, he presented me with this sword. Even before then, he has been the one that I admired and he became like a father to me in more ways than one. As he has done for me, I will do unto you. I will guide you through your turmoil, though I cannot understand the full extent of your sufferings, I had my fair share of despair and hatred. I will be the light that you need in the darkness of your life and give you purpose. I will give you this sword as a first step into fulfilling that goal. As it has been passed down to me, I pass it on to you" said Saitou in a solemn vow._

_Yamada looked at the well-worn hilt of the sword and its impeccable sharpness of the blade. It has obviously been used a lot – rather in practice or in real life, he did not know – and Saitou has taken painstaking care of it. After all, it was his only treasure. Yamada reached out a hand towards the hilt and with slight hesitancy took the sword in his hands. _

"_Will you make me stronger?" asked Yamada._

"_Yes" replied Saitou with confidence._

_Yamada looked at the sword in his hands again, contemplating upon Saitou's promise._

"_Then I shall go to Kyoto and become a member of Shinsengumi. It isn't as if I have much of a choice anyway. I have no home to speak of nor do I have any other family members. Even if I did, I wouldn't want to go to them anyway. I want to get stronger and avenge my parents' deaths" said Yamada with conviction and determination. For the first time, his eyes showed life in them and the darkness seemed to have been lifted._

_Saitou smiled a rare smile. _

"_I am glad that you are determined. It will not be an easy road; you will need all the determination and courage you can gather" said Saitou._

"_Yes, Saitou-san" replied Yamada._

_Saitou looked into Yamada's eyes. "Very well. We leave for Kyoto at the first light tomorrow."_

* * *

That faithful day was over ten years ago.

Saitou walked towards his desk and tried read the letter again but his eyes were automatically drawn to the words at the bottom of the page.

'_Your faithful soldier,_

_Hiroshi Yamada'_

Yes, Hiroshi Yamada was one of Saitou's best soldiers, if not the very best. He was like himself; hardworking and very dedicated to Shinsengumi's cause. He put his life on the line everyday to defend what it stood for and did it willingly and proudly. Saitou, in turn, sheltered him and taught him to be a warrior to be feared by many and admired by all.

Saitou sighed and folded the letter and put it in his pocket. Tomorrow, he would have to make an unexpected visit.

With that thought, he blew out the lone candle and walked out of his office into the streets. As his footsteps guided him to his house where his wife waited for him, he resolved in his mind to make the inevitable visit to the former legendary Battousai the next day.

* * *

Sano walked down the path leading to Kaoru's house, whistling a light tune as he went. The sun filtered through the green foliage above and when the leaves rustled in the wind, shadows danced upon his face. It was a fine day and Sano was going to make the most of it. After visiting Jou-chan and Kenshin, he will go visit some old friends and go gambling. Oh boy, how he had missed gambling with his friends! After that, perhaps he will go to the Akabeko and eat some lunch and have a chat with Tae and Tsubame. Then, may be he will go bug the kitsune doctor Megumi. In between, he can help Yahiko train his students and call it a day. Yes, it was going to be perfect.

When Sano arrived at the back entrance to Kaoru's house, he was met with an unexpected scene. He hid behind a tall oak tree and let the scene unfold before him with a wicked smile gracing his lips.

As usual, Kenshin was outside doing the laundry. His sleeves were pulled back and his elbows were hidden beneath the mountain of soap bubbles. What was unusual was that Kaoru was helping him this morning. As Kenshin washed, Kaoru hung up the dripping clothes onto the clothes line.

'They already look like a married couple' thought Sano as he watched this tender scene. 'If they can just get their acts together and admit that they love each other…'

As Keshin finished the last of the laundry for the day, Kaoru was struggling to get a heavy futon on the clothes line. Her hair in disarray and her kimono sleeves pulled back like Kenshin's to reveal her creamy white arms, she was the vision of an angel to Kenshin. During the entire time he was washing and scrubbing away, his eyes would occasionally – more often than not – drift towards her face and gaze upon her radiance. She was beautiful.

Kenshin got up from his position on the floor where he had been squatting by the wash tub and approached Kaoru to help her get the heavy futon on the clothes line.

"Here, Miss Kaoru" said Kenshin as he reached over and grabbed the futon and pulled it on to the clothes line while Kaoru helped from the other side. As they both struggled to hang the futon, Kenshin's hand closed over Kaoru's.

It was as if time had stopped. Kaoru's hand felt warm against his cold and rough hand and slowly he shifted his eyes to meet hers across the white futon that was in between them. Her face was partially hidden from him but he detected a faint blush on her cheek. Kaoru met his eyes for a brief moment and hurriedly looked away towards the ground. Kenshin could not stop looking at her. He studied every feature of her face: her clear indigo blue eyes, her rosy mouth, the flushed cheeks, and her blue hair framing her face. He faintly smelled a whiff of jasmine as he unknowingly held her hand tighter. Kaoru blushed prettily and looked back up at his face, searching his eyes as if looking for an answer to the unasked question.

Kenshin opened his mouth to say something when unexpectedly Yahiko came around the house. Kenshin quickly let go of Kaoru's hand and tried to reign in his wayward emotions as Kaoru tried to cover up her blush and fix her hair.

"What is it Yahiko?" asked Kaoru in an irritated voice.

"You won't believe who is at the front door right now" said Yahiko, panting heavily.

"What do you mean, Yahiko? Who is here?" asked Kenshin, concern showing on his face. He had a very bad feeling about this.

"It's Saitou. Saitou Hajime is here."

A/N: So what did you think? Please take five seconds to review! I love them!!!

Next Chapter: What was the content of the letter? Why did Hiroshi Yamada write to Saitou? What is he planning? Why did Saitou come to Kenshin? You will find out in the next chapter.


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: Hello everyone! I hope you are having a fantastic summer. I know I am!! Maybe too much fun, since I am finding it hard to spare my time devoted to writing this story. Well, here is Chapter 4. Hope you like it. Enjoy! And don't forget to review!!!

Disclaimer: I do not own any part of _Rurouni Kenshin_. I am merely borrowing the characters for my own enjoyment!

Note: This chapter contains double flashbacks in Kenshin's POV. 

Chapter 4

"It's Saitou. Saitou Hajime is here."

Kenshin dropped the white linen sheets in his hand and rushed towards the front gates of the Kamiya residence. He felt dread washing over him like poisonous gas. His footsteps were hurried and out of the corner of his eyes, he saw Sano approach him with his hands shoved in his pockets from the shadows of the tall oak from where he had been hiding. Sano's face told him that he had obviously heard what Yahiko had said and with a grim expression he asked, "So what occasion graces us with that damned Saitou's presence?"

"I don't know. But I have a bad feeling about this" said Kenshin with equal solemnity.

The dreams that he had forgotten during his waking hours rushed back to the forefront of his mind. Something was telling him that danger was approaching and this time, he wasn't sure if he had a chance of winning. He could not help the sudden dread that filled him and suddenly he felt as if he was drowning in cold, dark water with no sign of rescue. He shook himself a little.

'Get a grip. It's probably nothing' Kenshin berated himself. But then again, Saitou had not visited Kenshin since Enishi Yukishiro had been defeated. Usually, Saitou's visit warranted a catastrophic event. His coming was definitely not a good sign.

Kenshin approached the gate with Sano, Kaoru, and Yahiko at his heels and saw the tall and slightly sinister man standing in the doorway.

"Saitou, what brings you all the way to Tokyo?" asked Kenshin with a slight bow, but there was no trace of warm welcome in his demeanor.

"I have urgent business to discuss with you" replied Saitou curtly.

"What business?" asked Sano, rather rudely. Sano had never liked Saitou but held a grudging respect for the man. The feeling, of course, was mutual between the two of them.

"A business that does not concern you, rooster head" replied Saitou with equal rudeness, albeit more even tempered than Sano.

"What did you say?" said Sano, his temper flaring up. He bared his fists and stepped forward towards him. However, at that moment, Kaoru sidestepped Sano and got in front of him to prevent him from hitting Saitou. Instead, she looked up at the tall man before him and bowed graciously.

"Why don't you come in, Saitou-san?" said Kaoru. She had never forgotten the help she and Kenshin received from Saitou when Enishi kidnapped her a year ago. For that, she was forever grateful.

With a slight bow in her way, Saitou entered the threshold into the Kamiya residence as Kenshin led the way into the tea room. He opened the shoji doors and invited him to sit while he himself took a seat across Saitou. Sano placed himself behind the doors so that he could hear the conversation but not be seen by Saitou. How he loathed that man that he didn't even want to look at him! Yahiko sat on the side of the room near Kenshin, keeping quiet and ready to listen. Kaoru offered Kenshin and Saitou cups of tea and seated herself next to Kenshin, ready to lend him support if he should need it.

Saitou glance about the room and discreetly met Kenshin's eyes. He looked squarely back at Saitou and said, "If you trying to imply that Miss Kaoru, Yahiko, and Sanosuke to leave, then forget it, Saitou. If you have something to say, you are going to have to say it in front of them."

Saitou sighed and resigned himself to do a lot of explaining to the group. He pulled out a letter from his pocket and held it out towards Kenshin.

Kenshin looked at the letter for a second and looked back up at Saitou.

"What is this?" he asked.

"Just take it and read it" said Saitou who was getting slightly irritable. Because of the events that have transpired in the last few days, even he – the cold and stoic Hajime Saitou of former Shinsengumi Captain – was running on a short fuse of temper and his emotions were running amuck.

Kenshin looked at the letter with apprehension but took it from Saitou's hands. He opened the letter and began to read:

"_Captain Saitou,_

_It has been ten long years since I have seen you, Captain. I hope you are doing well. I've heard that you have become a policeman, working to protect the citizens from the corrupt government of the Meiji. I admire you for living always for the sake of justice and to eradicate all evil from the world. Even without the Shinsengumi, you still strive to live by our laws. _

_I am sure you are surprise to receive a letter from me. No doubt you would have thought that I had died in battle all those years ago. I assure you, Captain, that I am very much alive. I cannot die without fulfilling my revenge; revenge that I swore upon the blood-soaked bodies of my parents. _

_This is precisely why I am writing to you. For ten long years, I've wandered Japan, honing my swordsmanship skills and waiting for my chance for divine justice. I have finally found him in Tokyo, Captain. The Battousai, the legendary Man Slayer of the Revolution, is residing in Kamiya residence in the heart of Tokyo. Gods have finally listened to my prayers and the river no longer speaks of sorrow and pain like it used to when I first met you. I can feel that my time for revenge is drawing near, Captain, and I ask for your help._

_During the course of ten years of wandering, I have met a few worthy swordsmen like us; lost amid the new Meiji Era where their skills are no longer needed. They, too, hold grudges against the Imperialists who brought about the new era and are delighted at the prospect of defeating the strongest of their kind – the Battousai. They long for his blood as much I do and are eager to enter battle even at the cost of their own lives, like true warriors. But they are not as great as you, Captain. I need your help. I know of your rivalry with the Battousai and I ask you to see the end of it and come out of battle victorious once again. Relive the glorious days of the Shinsengumi, Captain. Help us rid the world of this evil man who killed countless people left others to suffer. It is only just that he feels the same pain; to know our suffering; to see hell like we have. _

_I await your answer by the end of the week, Captain._

_Until then, my Captain…_

_Your faithful soldier,_

_Hiroshi Yamada"_

Kenshin's voice trailed off into a whisper as he came to the last words of the letter. His hands trembled slightly but he kept his face devoid of all emotions, just as he was taught during the days of the Revolution. He refused to show fear, the dread at the prospect of having another vengeful man coming after him and the possibility of endangering his friends. He dropped the letter in his hands and looked at the man sitting in front of him – Hajime Saitou, the former Captain of third unit of Shisengumi, the Wolf of Mibu.

"When? How?" asked Kenshin incoherently.

"Two days ago the letter came. It was delivered to me but there was no name or return address when it was delivered. It was only when I read the letter that I knew it was Yamada who wrote the letter to me" replied Saitou.

A deafening silence fell over the group, all lost in their own thoughts. None cared to acknowledge the sun bathed grounds of the Kamiya residence nor the songs of birds welcoming the coming of summer days; nor the whispers of leaves in the gentle breeze; nor the sounds of children's laughter from the outside the gates. The peacefulness of the outside world belied the dark and gloomy mood inside the tea room.

'Hiroshi Yamada…Yamada…Who…? Wait, it can't be…' Kenshin's eyes widened in realization.

"Kenshin? What is it? You've gone pale. Are you alright?" asked Kaoru with concern clearly shown on her delicate features.

"I am fine, that I am, Miss Kaoru. No need to worry about me" replied Kenshin with as much bravado as he can muster.

But Kaoru could see that he was not fine at all. Kenshin had indeed visibly paled and his hands trembled even more now. His usually relaxed face was drawn tight and the lines that etched his face sprung out. His shoulders were tense and his eyes had a far away look about them, as if he was thinking of things that she or any of others could not reach nor comprehend. She saw Kenshin clench his fists in effort to stop their trembling. She reached out and gently grasped his hand and let him know that she was there. Kenshin turned to face her and she smiled faintly and squeezed his hand. But he did not reassure her like he usually did. Instead his eyes held sadness and regret and unfathomable pain that Kaoru was momentarily overwhelmed by all the emotions.

"Kenshin…?" said Kaoru uncertainly.

Kenshin mentally shook himself. 'Stop it. You are worrying her. Just keep it to yourself. Don't let her get involved!'

"Saitou, who is this Hiroshi Yamada bastard? Why is he so keen to seek revenge on Kenshin?" asked Sanosuke, speaking for the first time since they entered this conversation.

Hajime Saitou turned his cold eyes upon the figure sitting just outside the shoji doors and replied, "Hiroshi Yamada was my subordinate during the days of the Revolution. When Kondo-san, the Commander of Shinsengumi, requested that he join my unit, he was just thirteen years old and had lost his parents some time ago. I've never asked him the circumstances regarding the deaths of his parents, but I've heard from the Commander that an Imperialist killed them. For as long as I've known him, he held great hatred for the Imperialists and that's why he made such a good soldier for the Shinsengumi."

As he said this, his gaze shifted towards the man sitting in front of him, the Battousai.

Kenshin returned the gaze unflinchingly but Saitou was surprised to see incomprehensible emotions swimming in the legendary Man Slayer's eyes.

With a faint nod from Kenshin, Saitou continued, "Yamada trained under me and I taught him everything I know. Then, about ten years ago, during the end of Boshin War – it was the Buddha Hall conflict, I remember it well – I thought I had lost him in battle. I myself was almost killed. I lost all hope of reuniting with any of my comrades. After that, when I became a policeman, I attempted to find any Shinsengumi soldiers that had not perished in the Revolution. I found a few but not Hiroshi Yamada. I believed him to be dead for certain then. I haven't the faintest idea or the wildest dream that he had survived."

"Tch. Why are you telling us this Saitou? If this Yamada wrote to you asking for help, doesn't that mean that you are in the same league as him? Have you come here to fulfill his revenge in his stead?" demanded Yahiko furiously. He could not stand idly by and let another man take away Kenshin's happiness. Not while he was around to protect it.

"Be quiet boy. You do not know what you speak of. I came to the Battousai to warn him, not to kill him. I have no desire to fight him any longer. Our rivalry is in the past, and that is where it shall remain; it does not have a place in this present times" said Saitou, casting a cold glare in Yahiko's direction.

"You still haven't answered my second question, Saitou. Why is he so keen to take revenge on Kenshin?" asked Sanosuke.

"I don't have the answer to that question. Perhaps you should ask the Battousai. I like to know the reason as well" said Saitou. His eyes came to rest upon Kenshin and asked, "Why is Hiroshi Yamada so determined to kill you?"

Kenshin remained silent, his eyes cast downward and shoulders slumped.

Kenshin was lost in thought. His nightmare was rushing back to him, and along with it, the pain and regret.

"_No! Please spare my child. Please don't kill him. Spare the child!"_

_Flash of blood…a dead body…_

He thought he had forgotten these memories of the past, tainted in blood and tears. Yet the ghost of the past still haunts him to this day. When will it all end? Will he ever be able to live his days in peace with his beloved ones?

"Kenshin?" asked Kaoru, bringing Kenshin out of his deep thoughts. She looked at him in concern.

"Kenshin? Who is Hiroshi Yamada? Why is he after you?" asked Kaoru, her eyes questioning him for the answers that he was too reluctant to give.

Kenshin heaved a sigh. 'There is no way that I can keep this from them. If they don't know, they'll be in greater danger. At least, if they know the truth, they can take whatever precautions.'

"I was the one who killed Hiroshi Yamada's parents."

Yahiko's eyes widened in surprised and looked at Kenshin in shock. Although his expression could not be seen behind the shoji doors, Sano's back tensed at Kenshin's reply. Kaoru brought her hand to her hand to prevent herself from crying out loud in shock. However, Saitou's expression remained unchanged and he steadily continued to gaze in Kenshin's direction.

'I thought as much. Why else would Yamada seek to revenge his parents' deaths by killing the Battousai?' Saitou said to himself.

Kenshin looked about the room at the shocked faces of his friends.

'Kaoru…I'm sorry I've caused yet another pain to your heart' thought Kenshin as he reached for her hand again and gave a reassuring squeeze. He cast in her direction a faint smile and tried to reassure her through his eyes that no matter what happened, no matter how painful it might be for all of them, he will always protect her.

He turned to Saitou and continued to tell the story of his blood-tainted past.

"It was fifteen years ago when I was ordered to kill Kisuke Yamada and his wife. During those times, they were prominent members of the anti-Imperialist groups. They were rallying people like them to take up arms and directly go against us. Of course, Katsura-san felt threatened by them even if they were just a small group of people. He felt that if they became associated with people with greater influence and power, like the Shinsengumi, they could potentially become too great of a threat to overcome later on. So he ordered me to assassinate the leaders of this small group. And the leaders of that group were the parents of Hiroshi Yamada."

He closed his eyes as the memories of his past began to surface, opening the old wounds that even he had forgotten. He reopened his eyes and began to tell the tale of the faithful night; the night when he sealed the fate of one man who would come later to haunt him.

* * *

_Kenshin stood in the shadows under a tree, watching a large house that lay in front of him. The cold late winter winds nipped at his skin and ruffled his long red hair. But all these things did not faze him. He stood like a stone statue, motionless and silent, waiting for the right moment to complete his assignment, his next kill._

_When he observed the last candle go out and the house immersed in darkness, he made his move. Without disturbing a blade of grass under his feet, he leapt from shadow to shadow, and swiftly and silently entered the house. _

_He leapt over the gates into the threshold of the Yamada residence and there, standing in the moonlight was Kisuke Yamada, waiting for him with his sword drawn._

"_I see the Imperialists have finally taken action" said Kisuke, without a trace of fear. "Who are you?" he asked._

"_I do not reveal my name to those who have no need to know it. You definitely don't need to know it; you will be dead in the next five minutes" said Kenshin coldly. _

"_I have come to deliver heavenly justice."_

_Kenshin charged, withdrawing his blade as he went with lightening speed of the Hiten Mitsurugi Ryuu. He raised his sword and brought down upon his opponent. But Kisuke parried, bringing his own sword upwards to block the fatal blow of the Battousai. _

_Kenshin's amber eyes narrowed and sprung back. He sheathed his blade and took his stance. _

'_The sword-drawing technique. He will draw out his blade faster than the eye can see. He is truly the master of Battojutsu. Can I dodge it? No, I must dodge it. I have a family to protect!' thought Kisuke as he saw the infamous Battousai take his deadliest stance._

_Kenshin's eyes flashed and he once again charged at Kisuke Yamada. He never even saw him coming nor did he see him withdraw his sword. Next thing he realized was that his chest was pierced by the Battousai's sword and life was fading from his body, just like the blood that was gushing out of his chest._

_Kenshin withdrew his blade from the man's chest and Kisuke fell forward, his eyes still hanging on to the surprise of Kenshin's attack. Kenshin saw the man fall, yet his eyes held no remorse, no regret, no pain. He was emotionless – just a shell of man who had sold his humanity to the demon himself for the sake of the new Meiji Era._

_He turned and came face to face with a woman – Kisuke Yamada's wife. _

"_You monster…" she whispered to the night, staring at the dead body of her husband, lying in the pool of his own blood. She looked up defiantly at the man who stood before him, tainted in the blood of her husband. Her eyes filled with tears but she refused to let them fall; she refused to let an Imperialist like him to know her weakness._

"_What are you waiting for? Aren't you going to kill me too?" she asked her voice hard and cold. She had no regrets, only that she will have to leave her young son behind. 'I'm sorry Hiroshi. I love you.'_

_She hardened her heart and looked up defiantly at her would-be killer._

"_I do not fear death" she said coldly._

_Battousai merely gazed down upon her, unflinching and uncaring at the sight of a helpless woman._

_Then suddenly, her eyes widened in horror as she glanced at something behind him. He turned around and his eyes found a ten-year-old boy hiding behind the shoji door of his room. _

_His superior's voice rang out in his mind as he turned his amber eyes upon the young boy: 'Leave no one alive.' As a shadow assassin, this was imperative. He can leave no witnesses alive or the whole Ishin Shishi will be in danger._

_As if the woman read his mind, she screamed, "No! Please spare my child. Please don't kill him. Spare the child!" Her mask of fearlessness crumbled away as she frantically screamed at him to spare her only son. _

_He stared emotionlessly at the figure of the pathetic woman before him and begging him – screaming at him – to spare her only child. Without blinking an eye, he plunged his blood soaked sword into her heart. She fell forward, dead like her husband, laying the pool of her own blood._

_He watched her fall, his eyes cold and devoid of all emotion. But his ears rang with the woman's last words. _

"_Spare the child!"_

_He had heard those words before long ago. It was nearly ten years ago when three women died to protect him – just a little boy of five years of age. It was because of them he exists today._

_ Flashback _

"_Please! Not the child. Spare the child!" screamed one of them. Yet the men before them slashed away at the helpless woman and turned their blades upon the remaining two._

_A flash of blood… Another dead body…_

"_Shinta. Listen to me. You have to live. You have not yet had the chance to choose a life like we did. You must live Shinta and…"_

_A man grabbed the woman's hair, dragging her body that was protecting the little boy and thrust his sword through her neck._

"_Shinta…live…" she whispered, as her life was cruelly ended by the hands of nameless and faceless men._

_ End Flashback _

_Battousai now turned his cold, unfeeling gaze upon the mere ten-year old boy, staring at the dead bodies of his parents. He had once been in the same position as the boy. Then doesn't the boy deserve the same second chance like he did? Did he not deserve a chance to choose his own path of life, just like those three women wanted him to choose his own life?_

_Making up his mind, instead of turning his blade upon the boy, he sheathed his sword. _

"_I shall spare your life, just as your mother wished. Hate me if you wish, but choose your own path of life. Come after my life to avenge your parents' deaths if you desire, but do not speak of my existence to anyone. Or I may not be alive for you to take my life."_

_Without turning back, he slipped away into the darkness of the night, leaving the young boy with the dead bodies of his parents whose blood seemed to be flooding he house._

* * *

The room was heavy with silence when Kenshin finished his story. Kaoru was opening crying now. Nobody had ever known where and how Kenshin came to be and knowing that he had such a tragic and bloody past broke Kaoru's heart. 

'Oh, Kenshin. What can I ever do to heal the old wounds of your soul?' she thought, sadly. It hurt her to see her loved one in so much turmoil, as if his pains were her own. She wished to make him forget about his past, to live for the present, and to never be hurt again. She wanted to take his pain away, wipe away the regrets, and love him for what and who he was and is and always will be. If only she could make him see how much she loved him…

"I see…" said Saitou, breaking the silence.

Kenshin lifted his gaze to meet Saitou's. The pained lavender eyes met cold and calculating brown ones, sending messages through just one glance. With that one look, they both knew what was to come. They would be ready when the time came and they would protect what is theirs with their lives.

Saitou looked away and readied to stand up and leave.

"Where do you think you are going?" asked Sano brusquely. "We haven't finished talking yet."

"Yes, we have. There is no more reason why I should stay any longer. I've learned what I needed to know and staying would only be an unnecessary and unpleasant experience for me" replied Saitou, coldly.

"How do we know that we can trust you? How do we know that you won't go to Hiroshi Yamada and tell him everything we've talked about today?" asked Yahiko, unfazed by his coldness and looking at him directly in the eye.

"You don't have to worry about that, brat. I already told you, I have no intention of fighting the Battousai ever again" replied Saitou. He stood and went out the shoji doors into the courtyard and lit a cigarette. He puffed out a smoke and turned his back upon the group still sitting in the tea room.

"Battousai, I know what you are thinking. Don't do it. You can't possibly win. Leave this one to me and to the police. Make no mistake, I still don't like you, but I know what it's like to live with regrets and a tainted past. It's about time that you and I deserve some happiness too."

With that, he strode towards the gate and without turning back, he left the Kamiya residence.

A/N: Whew! That took a really long time to write. I hope you liked it as much as I enjoyed writing it. Review please! Tell me what you think of this story so far. But remember to keep flames to small flames. I have a sensitive heart…

Next Chapter: What are Hiroshi Yamada's plans? What will Kenshin do? And how do his friends feel about all this? Find out in the next chapter!


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